Needs
by Justis76
Summary: After the events of 3-5, Nick's a bit shaken up and has a talk with Maya. Phoenix/Maya, 3-5 spoilers, obviously.


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February 9th, 2019

7 pm

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The food sucks.

The last few days must have been a nightmare.

And yet she's _still_ smiling. I don't know how she's been able to keep it up for so long, especially after all that's happened. Who knows, maybe she's just glad too be back. I'm glad she is.

I've probably been staring at her since we arrived at Tres Bien. Part of me just wants to pick her up and kiss her. For a moment, I thought she really might have been dead. I don't know what I would have done if she was.

**_ You love her._**

_Definitely. I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner._

**_And you can't manage without her. _**

_I know, I know! I just don't know how to tell her…_

"Hey pal, I'm a bit short on dough, so would you mind helping me out? I promise I'll pay you back…eventually…" Gumshoe asks, his booming voice bringing my train of thought to a halt.

"Huh? Yeah, sure, whatever." I absent-mindedly pull out a $20 bill and hand it to him. Gumshoe pays the bill, and we leave the restaurant.

"You girls look rather tired," Edgeworth says to Maya and Pearls, "would you like a ride to Wright's office?"

"Yay! A car ride!" Pearl exclaims.

"Ooh, that sounds fun!" Maya says, cheering. "Can Nick come?"

"Well, if you insist, I suppose Wright can come along." Edgeworth says smugly.

_Gee, thanks buddy. What would I do without you?_

I get in the passenger seat of Edgeworth's car while Maya and Pearl sit in the back, and we begin to drive. I have to admit, it's a pretty nice car. I wish I could drive…

Maya and Pearl are staring out of the windows, clearly enjoying the ride. Edgeworth begins got speak quietly, so that I'm the only one who can hear him.

"I saw you in court today, Wright."

"And?"

"You love her, don't you? Ms. Fey, I mean."

"…Why?"

"I might not be an expert on girls, but I wouldn't be surprised if she harbored feelings for you as well. Make sure you take good care of that assistant, Wright. She's one of a kind."

"…I know…"

I stare out of my window. _Is it that obvious that I like her? Does Maya know too?_

"Here we are, ladies." Edgeworth announces. "Wright & Co. Law Offices."

Maya and Pearl hop out of the car, Maya yelling "Thanks Mr. Edgeworth!" as she runs inside. I get out of the car and turn to Edgeworth.

"Thanks for the ride."

"You're welcome. Now remember what I told you."

And with that, Edgeworth drives away.

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One hour later…

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"Ok, Pearly! Time for bed!"

"But Mystic Maya!" Pearl whines.

"Now Pearly, you know that if you want to grow big and strong like me, you have to get a good night's rest, right?"

"Oh! Of course Mystic Maya! Ok, I'll go to bed, and leave you with your special someone." Pearl runs upstairs, and Maya sighs.

"What are we going to do with her?" Maya says, laughing.

I'm not in a very joking mood. "Maya…" I want to tell her. I need to tell her. But I'm not sure if it's the right time.

"What is it, Nick?" Maya asks. Her smile is gone, replaced with a look of worry. I guess she knows me a bit too well.

"I…" I stare into her eyes, but what I see in them isn't what Maya's been showing for the last few hours. She's hurt after all that's happened these last few days. I can't bring myself to tell her, I think she's had enough dramatic changes for a long time.

"I'm sorry about today. In court." I say, changing my intended subject. "I know you didn't want me to press Godot, but-"

"I know Nick. You were just doing your job, after all. It's Ok."

"And I'm sorry everything that happened. I should have been more responsible, I should have gone over to the Inner Temple with you, especially knowing how dangerous the course was."

"Nick, don't say that. If you had, you would have just been risking your life too. And you and Pearly are all I have left…" Maya begins to blink back tears. I pull her into a hug.

"It's Ok. You're safe now. You're with me."

"…Nick, you didn't really try to cross that bridge, did you? That was a joke, right?"

"No, I was worried about you, so I tried to cross the bridge. Pretty stupid of me, in hindsight, but at least I didn't die, I guess."

Maya begins to cry. "You're such an idiot!" she says between sobs. I know she doesn't mean it, she's just upset. I hug her tighter. "What if…what if you had died? Then what would've happened?"

"I'm sorry…"

"Just…don't do anything like that again, Ok?" Maya demands as she pulls out of the hug. "After all, if something happened to you I wouldn't have anybody to pick on." She begins laughing a bit. It's great to hear her laugh again, and still…

"Maya…I've almost lost you 3 times in the last 2 years…"

"What's wrong, Nick?" Maya sounds worried again. I think she might know what's coming next.

"Well…Maybe you'd be safer in Kurai-"

"No. It's not like it's your fault that I almost died, you're the one that saved me."

"But I could've stopped them from happening in the first place…"

"Who do you think you are, Superman? There's no way that you could have known that stuff would have happened! I'm not leaving you Nick. The safest place for me is with you, you always look out for me. Besides, you can't manage without me."

I sigh. "Maya, this isn't the time for goofing around."

"I'm not! Mr. Edgeworth told me that you didn't take any cases for months when I left, and that was when I had promised I would come back! What do you think you'd do if I left and I didn't come back? Face it Nick: I need you and you need me, probably more than you're willing to admit."

I'm fighting a losing battle here; she's right and we both know it. "Fine Maya, you win." I say, annoyed.

"What's gotten into you Nick? You caught the criminal, you saved the girl, why aren't you happy?"

"I don't know if I can always protect you! What if one day I slip up, and make a mistake?"

"… Then I guess I'll just have to take care of both of us." Maya says, fiercely.

"Maya-"

"Nick, shut up." Maya moves in and kisses me. As much as I want to give in and return the kiss, I struggle to resist. I have to get my point across, but Maya beats me to it when she pulls away.

Before I can utter a word, she speaks. "I love you and I'm not leaving you. And that's that."

I'm taken back a bit by Maya's sudden confession, but I keep on arguing. "…You've got responsibilities as the Master, you know."

"Well fine, half the time I'll be the Master of Kurain, and the other half I'll be your assistant."

"Are you sure that's going to work?"

"I'll make it work. Please Nick, I need you."

I can't think up any arguments. "Ok then. If that's what you really want, we'll do it."

"It's what I really, really want. And I know that it's what you want, too."

"Right as always. And I love you too, Maya." I whisper, kissing her lips delicately. It feels amazing, as if all of the trouble I've endured since I the day we arrived at Hazakura Temple is being lifted away. Nothing can spoil this…

"Yeah, I know." Maya says, anticlimactically. _Well Ok, maybe that spoil it a bit._

"Wow, way to ruin the moment." I say sarcastically, but can't help from chuckling a bit.

"Well, sorry. Start over." I raise my eyebrows at her, but decide to go along with it.

"I love you too, Maya."

"Kiss me, you big stud!" Maya yells dramatically. I burst out laughing.

"Hey! You're not supposed to laugh!" Maya whines.

"Uh, what do you say we try again tomorrow?" I say between giggles. _Big stud? Really? _

Maya sighs. "Fine! I'm going to bed." Maya says, pouting.

"Good night." I place a quick kiss on her forehead, and she storms off, pretending to be angry with me.

_What a night…And it figures, Edgeworth was right after all. He's not going to let me live this down…_

But then again, as I remember how great it felt to have Maya's lips pressed up against mine, I realize that all of the Edgeworth gloating in the world won't be able to take away the magic that happened tonight.


End file.
